Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-09-07
WHITE SLAVERY IN PERU.
Adventures OF a Nan Who Sought q Fort
une In South America.

Adventures OF a Man Who Sought q Fort.
une In South America.
Joseph Rumbach is German abont
thirty years OF age. He is gardener by
trade, and has worked for some of the
best people in this city, says the San
Francisco Chronicle. About ton months ago
he sailed from this city for Callao, In
Peru, thinking to better his fortune. Lice
many others he had an idea that silver
and gold wore plentiful in South America,
and that any intelligent foreigner could
make money faster there than In this
country. A few days in Callao and Lima,
however, soon disabused his mind Of this
idea, and he was glad to accept place as
gardener on the hacienda, OF Mr. Orbe.
gosa, seven days ride on mule
back into the interior OF the coun-
try over the Cordillcra mount
aims. According to his letter OF in
structions. which he has with him, he
was to receive twenty dollars a month in
silver, q house in the yard of the hacienda
house, bod and bedding, and his meals.
HIS duties were to be to look sftor and
improve the flower and vegetable gar
dens attached TO tho house.
When he arrived ut the hacienda he
found that it was a barren coffee plaata-
tion, and that he was expected to work
with tho Indian labOrcrs IN the coffee
helds. His house consisted of an adobe
hut Of one room with no windows AMI
nothing but O cot, mattress and q pair OF
blan kcts In the way OF furniture. He
stuck to his work for about four weeks,
hoping his position might be improved,
but finding no likelihood Of change he
resolved to throw up the situa ton and
try to botter himself. He went to the ad-
ministrator or manager and told him that
he wished TO leave. To his surprise, he
found that he would not DO allowed to do
so. but that he must remain and work
whether he liked IL or not THIS was on
Wednesday. On the following Monday he
packed his clothing In a bag, strung 1t
across his shoulders, and started to 70.
trace on foot tho weary journey across
mountains to tho coast. On the evening
Of tho second day, while sitting in the
house OF an Indian in a village, there came
knock ut the door. 1t was thrown open
and in rushed tho administrator Of the
h"cienda with sevcn mon, all armed with
rifloA at his back Rumbach was
seized and talSou to tho jail, whore be
spcnt the next twenty-fonr hours. The
jail was a close, hot place, without
windows or any other means OF ventila-
ton. On the following day he was taken
back to the hacienda and foroed to go to
work again. He was told that nc could
not get away, and was urged TO marry an
Indian girl and settle down contentedly to
work.
About three weeks after his return he
fgIin told the administrator that he
wished to leave, and was again refused.
That night Spaniard, who was also
labor0r on the plantation,
came to him and warned him
that IL he did not comply with the wishes
OF the administrator he would be put in
chains and worked like the Indians. Rum
bach states that the administrator and
his chief assistants were absolute mas
tors Of all the men on the plantation.
They tried them for any infraction OF the
rules, and sentenced them to tho chain
gang under a boss who drove them at
their work with o whip, which no did not
scruple to use on the slightest provoca-
tIon. For more serious offenses both I'M
prisonment and whipping were the pun
ishments.
Not relishing the outlook, Rumbach re-
solved to make another attempt to escape
from slavery. At two O'Clock the next
morning he climbed over the wall of the
patio, and again started on a tramp to the
coast. For six days and nights he tramp
cd over the mountains, carefully avoiding
the only beaten road, for he was warned
by some friendly Indians the first ay Of
his journey that he was being pursued.
He lived on such fruits and berries as he
could pick, and upon occasional gifts OF
the Indians, who guided and assisted him
in his fight On the seventh day he
reached the coast and made his way to
Callao. and thence to Lima.